Murray River trip from Yarrawonga to the ocean
Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 at 23:15
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Wiz
I’m new to this site and found it while starting to research the idea of travelling down the Murray to the ocean on a pontoon with 2-3 mates. Has anybody here done this and can offer some advice.
This is my pontoon powered by 250hp verada
Pontoon
Reply By: Bricky - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 07:39
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 07:39
We were planning the same trip a few years ago....never happened.
There is a web site, not sure what it is now.
It gives daily river heights a flows.
Also these 2 books are worth a look. Should still be available.
Would be a great trip
River books
AnswerID:
645174
Follow Up By: Wiz - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 09:43
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 09:43
Thanks Bricky, appreciate the information and will get those books
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 10:08
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 10:08
The charts were originally compiled in 1975. I have the 4th edition updated in 1987, it may seem a bit long in the tooth, but I would consider it still is a worthwhile reference. For what it lacks in current accuracy, the historical bits in it would still make it invaluable.
Don't forget to purchase a
Murray River flag to fly from the jack staff.
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Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 12:52
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 12:52
Ha ha
John, but they will need 2 River Murray Flags.
They will need the darker blue one for the upper reaches and down through Victoria and the Lower Blue River Murray flag for South Australia.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 18:51
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 18:51
"Ha ha
John, but they will need 2 River Murray Flags."
That can start some arguments. Which is the real top end flag? Or even if any of them are the original flag.
The Murray River Flag (1853) - The ANFA claim "It has been flying on the
Murray River paddle steamers since 1853." They also mention "In recent years a variation on this flag has been introduced representing the South Australian end of the river. "
The page
Murray River flag (Australia) claims the old flag is a "Combined
Murray River Flag"
The
Echuca Historical Society give their version in
Flags of the Murray River . I tend to believe that one.
FollowupID:
925442
Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 09:24
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 09:24
Fuel consumption will be a challenge with that motor.
https://www.boat-fuel-economy.com/new/mercury/mercury-250-hp-l
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
AnswerID:
645175
Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 09:55
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 09:55
Yes, I was thinking it would be a little large for pottering up and down the river.
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Follow Up By: tonysmc - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 11:15
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 11:15
I’d be inclined to add an electric motor and basically use it to just steer to boat away from crashing into things. The current will do most of the work and only use the big motor for long slow sections or make up time. I often drift down a river using only the electric motor to correct my direction, just thinking “How’s the serenity”
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Follow Up By: Member - nickb boab - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 18:19
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 18:19
Wiz . A sack trolley will come in handy for carting drums of fuel from fuel station back to your boat . Hopefully the last big flood will have cleared a lot of the sandbanks away for you .
We have done a few of these River trips and they are great fun .enjoy.
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Reply By: Member - Racey - Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 10:09
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024 at 10:09
It's downhill all the . :-)
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Reply By: bergy - Monday, Feb 12, 2024 at 23:35
Monday, Feb 12, 2024 at 23:35
We completed this trip in 2017. We were in a 21ft Hartley converted to suit.we had a 15 hp 4 stroke outboard and carried 150 litres of fuel.
It was a great trip and we would love to do it again.
We did have lots of problems the biggest was we couldn't get past Swan
Hill due to low water we retrieved the boat and came back 6 months later to get through.
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Follow Up By: Wiz - Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 at 13:53
Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 at 13:53
Thanks Bergy. This is an ambiitious plan for me as i am relatively green with boating and I have not done anything like this before. I was becoming discouraged by the
feedback but yours gives me hope. Excuse my ignorance but what is a 21ft Hartley. Is that a sailboat? Do you think it is feasible/possible to do in my pontoon with the 250hp motor? What options for fuel are there along the trek? How long did the journey take you (days on water). I have ordered the books recommended earlier to learn more about what is involved but would be great to hear more from you about your experience
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 at 18:13
Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 at 18:13
"Excuse my ignorance but what is a 21ft Hartley."
It's a trailer sailer, designed by Hartley Boats in NZ. Hartley was a prolific designer and after WW2 produces designs of boats that were easily built by amateurs. Amongst these were a series of trailer sailers starting with the
Hartley TS16 in 1956. The design was adapted to produce 12, 14, 18 and 21 feet length boats. You can see examples of his yachts designs here -
Sail boats, the TS21 is on the 4th line.
Regarding the 250hp motor, that's a hell of a power for that style boat. What speed can you get out of it at full throttle? If you go too fast it will be difficult to dodge the snags, sandbars and reefs. I would suggest that sufficient power to have a top speed of 15 to 20 knots would be sufficient.
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Follow Up By: bergy - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 at 00:08
Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 at 00:08
This will be shorter. I've done a long response but think it was swallowed by the internet.
We converted a sailing boat to a river boat with comforts.large v berth,
toilet,shower,kitchen,fridge ect.
We drew 300 mm of water. Travelled at between 12 and 15 kph for about Max 50 km per day.
Took about 14 weeks.
We ran aground many times, damaged and replaced 1 propeller, hit numerous snags
Your vessel would probably be ok but I think a smaller engine on a auxiliary bracket would be the go.
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Follow Up By: bergy - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 at 10:35
Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 at 10:35
A final observation would be to say the lower rivermurray say from
Mildura down is more easily navigated maybe even from
Robinvale. From Yarrawonga to
Robinvale is littered with snags and sandbars ( depending on river level )
I think you would be fine down lower with your outfit.Fuel availability may
test you but that is something you could achieve with a few jerry cans.
Enjoy
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Reply By: bergy - Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 at 23:56
Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 at 23:56
Hartley 21ft
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 at 06:46
Wednesday, Feb 14, 2024 at 06:46
Hi Wiz,
If you have not already done so, I would highly recommend you get yourself a set of
Murray River Charts. I have had them in the past, but cannot for the life of me remember where I bought them from, but I am sure if you do a “Google” search you would be able to find the.
They may not necessarily be accurate with the location of snags, as with every decent flood, the river changes. However, they should give you a pretty good indication of obstacles.
As far as fuel is concerned, you would have to
check with all the major towns and cities along the way. I would think that most of the larger towns and cities would have refuelling depots on the river bank. I am pretty certain
Echuca and
Mildura do.
Not sure how experienced you are, so no offence intended, but you will find that if the river is flowing quickly, you will need a reasonable speed to maintain steering. We did a 10 day river cruise in a houseboat many years ago, and found it was actually more difficult to maintain steering going downstream with the current, particularly where the current was strong in narrow sections, than it was going upstream against the current. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, starting from
Echuca, we motored down to the Torrumbarry Wier, then back upstream to Barmah, the only Victorian town on the north bank of the river, than back down to
Echuca.
Macca.
AnswerID:
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